Omsk Oblast.

History

People have lived here for about 14,000 years. The region's Russian history begins in 1584 with the Cossack campaign of Yermak, and in 1594 Tara became the first permanent Russian settlement in the area. In 1716 a fortress guarding the trade routes to China was built where the Om meets the Irtysh, and Omsk grew from it. In 1822 the city became the administrative centre of Western Siberia and later of the Steppe region. Fyodor Dostoevsky served his sentence of hard labour here in 1850–1854.

Culture & traditions

Omsk is proud of its Academic Drama Theatre and the Vrubel Museum of Fine Arts. The memory of Dostoevsky, who served his hard labour here, is an important page in the city's history. Most people in the oblast are Russian, living alongside Kazakhs, Ukrainians, Germans and Siberian Tatars.

Nature

The main waterway is the Irtysh with its tributaries the Ishim, Om, Osha and Tara. Large lakes include Tenis, Ik, Ebeyty, Ulzhay and Tobol-Kushly. As of 2016 the oblast had 35 protected natural areas of regional and local importance. The climate is sharply continental, with snowy, frosty winters and hot, dry summers.

Sport

Omsk's flagship club is Avangard Omsk in ice hockey. Every year the city hosts the Siberian International Marathon.

Food & drink

Local cooking draws on the traditions of the peoples who live here: Russians, Kazakhs, Germans and Siberian Tatars. The Siberian Tatars, who also live in Omsk Oblast, prize noodles, peremech, boortsog and dairy foods such as kaymak and qurut.

Practical information

Omsk is served by Tsentralny Airport; the city is a major Trans-Siberian junction where the line's northern and southern branches meet, and river boats run on the Irtysh. Local time is Moscow plus three hours. Winters are severe and summers hot, and Omsk enjoys more than 300 sunny days a year. Late spring, summer and early autumn are the best times to visit.

What to see

• Omsk Academic Drama Theatre — the city's leading stage
• Vrubel Museum of Fine Arts — Omsk's art museum
• Tara — the region's first permanent Russian settlement, founded in 1594
• Om–Irtysh confluence — where the Omsk fortress was founded in 1716
• Siberian International Marathon — an annual race through the streets of Omsk

Cities on the map

• Omsk 1,101,367